The invention relates to methods and systems for obtaining high-resolution images of microscopic samples including, for example, biological specimens and novel materials.
Obtaining images of microscopic phenomena has long been a crucial aspect of research in biomedical and material science. To improve such research, there has been ongoing study to improve the resolution of imaging techniques along both axial and lateral directions. Existing techniques include far-field techniques such as conventional optical microscopy, confocal microscopy, and two-photon fluorescence microscopy, and near-field techniques such as near-field scanning optical microscopy (NSOM), scanning tunneling microscopy (STM), and atomic force microscopy (AFM).